Hotel Caracas Hilton, now
HOTEL ALBA
by carolinaEspadaHOTEL ALBA
In front, facing the East is the Complejo Cultural Teresa Carreño, a humongous construction for opera, theater, orchestras, ballet, cinema, coffee shop, one restaurant, art gallery, two bookstores, etc.etc.etc.
Further East there are two museums: the Art one and the Natural Cience one. Adn the a park called Los Caobos.
Further further East there is the Mosk and the Casa del Artista (with another theater).
To the South there is the Museo de Arte Contemporaneo Sofía Ímber. "El MACSI", and the Children Museum. The artistic shops of the museum.
So far... excelent but... to the West... to the Wicked Witch of the West... the territory is taken by "buhoneros" (check that in my danger and warnings, please)... and is horrible, and smells even worst, and if filthy and very dangerous.
Too bad, because the Hilton is located right by the Metro Station: Bellas Artes... right where a venezuelan friend of mine and an australian friend or mine were robbed.
Inside is great. It has all the facilities and more. And the food is great.
What worries me is the back part of the hotel. The western part.
If for some specific reason you MUST arrive to this hotel, and you want to go to the other side, to the cultural huge area, please DO NOT go up the stairs, walk over the avenue and go down the stairs at the other side. NO!!! You can get
a. robbed
b. rapped
c. killed
d. all of the above
e. none of the above if you are really lucky
Please, stick to the side walk, walk to the corner, wait until the light changes and cross the street...
Although, this isnt pretty safe, either. About two years ago I was walking in this side walk, and a guy (passing by on a bus) threw an empty bottle of rhum at my head. It missed me by this much: ¡.!
CORRECTION!!! JANUARY 2OTH UPDATE!!!! YESTERDAY I WENT TO THIS AREA. I WENT TO THE CULTURAL RADIO OF EL ATENEO DE CARACAS, RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE HOTEL. WELL... GUESS WHAT? THERE WERE NO "BUHONEROS" TOWARDS THE WEST!!! WHERE DID THEY GO? IT WAS DIRTY, BUT NOT FILTHY!!! I WAS HAPPYLY SURPRISED. I MUST CHECK EVERY NOW AND THEN, BECAUSE SINCE 1999 THIS WEST SIDE WAS THE FILTHY AND DANGEROUS. SOMETHING HAPPENED NOW IN JAN 2005. HURRAY!!!!
